14 DAY TRIAL // Last week, a video showing an elk in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park headbutting a wildlife photographer went viral. Recent news on the topic says that, unfortunately, the elk has been put to sleep by Park officials.
Huffington Post reports that, unlike others of his kind, this elk was not in the least afraid of people. On the contrary, he had often received food from tourists and had therefore learned to think of the two-legged creatures that entered its territory as a snack-bar.
This might not have been such a problem if it were not for the fact that, while trying to get some food, the elk could have ended up hurting somebody.
More so since, as the video showing the animal headbutting the photographer proves, the elk was by no means adverse to the idea of picking up fights with people.
Park officials reassure that, before euthanizing the elk, they did everything in their power to convince it to stay away from tourists. However, nothing – not even moving the animal to another location – worked.
Commenting on the elk's death, wildlife photographer James York said that, “I am deeply saddened by the fate of the elk.” “It has certainly pulled a black cloud over this whirlwind ‘viral video’ experience,” he added.
The video that made the elk famous is made available to you below, just in case you did not get to watch it last week.
